


All’s Fair in Love and War

by WyrmLivvy



Series: TLC Verse (Trans Lois and Clark AU) [1]
Category: Smallville, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Childhood Friends, Drama, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Romance, Secret Identity, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 11:26:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6327121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WyrmLivvy/pseuds/WyrmLivvy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lois Lane is assigned a new work partner, the unreliable and boring Clark Kent; and following a misunderstanding, her childhood friend (former friend), Lex Luthor, reenters her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AU with a random mix of canons and making shit up but Smallville is the main.
> 
> So people know what they’re getting into, the core of this fic is a Lex, Lois & Clark love triangle. The fic will be long and begins with Lex Luthor/Lois Lane but will end with Clark Kent/Lex Luthor and Lois Lane/Wonder Woman. Also, Clark is a trans man and Lois is a trans woman because there wasn't fic and I wanted it so I wrote it, just like with trans man Lex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warnings: t-slur, used by a character the slur targets

Lois stared at her computer screen, trying to concentrate. Her second draft wasn’t as vicious as the first but still plenty scathing. She reminded herself that she had to be objective in her reporting but for this case she could not avoid bias. Following the passing of LuthorCorp’s president, LexCorp had moved in for a full controlling stake in the company and such a move included inheritance of its defense contracts, which it was set to renew. A memory rose to the forefront of her mind. She tried to avoid thinking about it but it was already too late. Shaking her head, Lois fiddled with her draft and pressed Control+Find. She replaced “Luther” (which she had not yet corrected to “Luthor”) with “loser”. 

She tried to refocus but this was hard to do as the new hire and new intern were being awfully loud. She was vaguely aware they were behind her while she was facing her work PC. 

“Are you sure you don’t need help?” Asked by a voice Lois recognized as the intern, Jimmy Olsen’s.

They were likely back with everyone’s coffee. Doing a coffee run was a regular tradition expected of new entrants. 

Jimmy’s question was answered by a higher-pitched voice that usually sounded like the owner was about to apologize for something. 

“I’m fine.” The new hire, and Lois' new work partner, Clark Kent, answered. “I already brought it this far, I really don’t need help carrying -” 

Lois huffed, wondering if she should interfere or not - to tell Jimmy to mind his own carried drinks. Clark was already assigned to be her work partner and she had the suspicion that he was partnered with her in particular because they both happened to be transgender. But while somethings were shared in common their experiences differed. 

Now, for instance, Jimmy was probably offering to help Clark because he didn’t look like he could carry half a dozen coffees by himself. 

Clark did not pass. 

He reminded Lois of the trans men she knew in college who were still figuring out how to dress and wore large suits that did not fit them, thinking it would make them look bigger but instead had the effect of making them look smaller because of the ill-fit. Even his thick rimmed glasses were oversized. 

The way he slouched didn’t help either - Lois thought he might be several inches taller if he had good posture. He eluded zero confidence in how he spoke, stood or walked, and when he moved, did so in a way to take up as little space as possible. 

All this likely contributed to Jimmy subconsciously treating Clark as a woman though Clark was out as a transgender man. 

“Jimmy, I really have this under control - ” Clark whined. 

Lois refocused on her work but the focus was broken as she heard the scuffle of feet, the sound of cardboard, sloshing liquid and her name before she was suddenly pulled away from her desk. 

She blinked from where she was now several meters away from her computer, the tower of which now soaked with coffee. There was also coffee on the floor. 

There was a crackle and then the monitor blacked out. 

Lois couldn’t believe it. _Those. Damned. Newbies!_

Lois glared.

“Um.” Jimmy laughed nervously, looking in Lois’ direction, but not at her. “I guess you did have it under control before I, uh, I’m really sorry.”

Lois became aware that Clark was standing behind her, gripping her chair. 

“Yes, I did…before you tried taking it out of my hands.” Clark said. “It’s okay. Just let me carry the coffee next time.”

“Okay.” Jimmy said, hurrying off to deliver the surviving coffees to expectant co-workers.

“Hey!” Lois complained as her chair was turned.

Clark knelt and faced her, scrutinizing for injuries. “Are you okay, Lois?”

“Am I okay? Am I _okay_?” Lois echoed, not ceasing her glare. “I didn’t save my draft!”

“Um, I can try to fix it…if you want me to.” Clark mumbled, looking behind her at the damaged computer. 

“It isn’t a tractor, Smallville.” Lois said. She had been given some details on her new partner’s background and had not been pleased, having been expecting someone more use to the fast pace of city life and the news cycle. Clark only recently transferred to the Daily Planet, he had years of experience in Metropolis already - but an aura of countryside clung to him. He was cheerful and energetic in the morning, before coffee. 

“I’m going to call people who can actually fix this.” Lois said, standing up and going to a nearby phone, about make two calls, one for janitorial staff and another for someone from tech to handle the computer. 

“You don’t have to - I can get a mop and take care of it myself.” Clark said. “Then I’ll handle the computer.” 

“You’re new.” Lois said. “I doubt you know where the cleaning supplies are, and it’s not your job to clean.”

Clark listed off the exact location of the cleaning supplies. 

Lois frowned. Okay, so someone must have told him already. Whatever.

Clark was frowned too, upon seeing her frown.

“Don’t mope.” Lois said. “You can help by doing what’s actually your job.” 

She looked at the lengthy notes she had taken at the LexCorp press conference, which included swears, scribbles, and an angry doodle or two. Deciding that her professional, unbiased, or as unbiased as possible objectivity, was impaired for this subject in particular after all she handed Clark a shorter, edited version of the notes she could show to other workers and her boss along with a handwritten copy of an earlier draft of the article lost to coffee. 

“This was what I was working on before...” Lois gestured at the coffee on the floor. “Think you can make a good draft if mine isn’t recovered?” 

“I’ll try.” Clark said, looking pleased that he was allowed to do something. 

—

Lois didn’t have a look at Clark’s drafts; busy as she had been with her own work because while the tech staff did recover her work the process took longer than her deadlines. She would only see the resultant article she had tasked Clark with producing when the final piece was published. This would prove to be a mistake. 

She received the call in the middle of enjoying a buttery croissant and a hazelnut latte. 

“Lois…” said the voice on the line. The man sounded peeved but also like he was testing the sound of the name on his lips, a careful and delicate thing. “I was the one who broke our friendship and I’ll take responsibility, but I honestly did not expect you to bite me for it more than ten years down the line.” 

“Lex?” Lois said wonderingly. Maybe because it was too early in the morning but she couldn’t make sense of what he was saying. What was he accusing her of? 

“You’re faster at comeuppance than that. I thought you’d decided to spare me, had forgotten, or that we were even and owed each other nothing after what happened in the mountains…but judging by your article on the defense contracts my company is set to inherit from LuthorCorp - you never truly forgave me, did you?”

The words “LuthorCorp” and “defense contracts” reminded Lois of the assignment that she had given Clark Kent because she doubted her own objectivity though they were former friends and not current friends, and these days she did not have regular contact with him. 

She thought she had no residual bitterness toward her once childhood friend but Lex had publicly spurned her shortly after she had outed herself to him as being trans. While he hadn’t spread her secret, he had announced that he had only become her friend because she was the general’s son and his father had instructed him to cozy up to her so LuthorCorp would have better chance of winning lucrative government defense contracts. There was a part of her that suspected that was only an excuse to sever their friendship and the true reason was that he was disgusted by her. 

The re-emergent relevance of the defense contracts that Lex had brokered a friendship with her for and broken after the use was over, had set her off. That was why she hadn’t trusted her bias and had given it to Clark to write. So why was she the one being called and what words had Clark put down for Lex to be so sure she had enacted a revenge?

“I’m taking your silence as an affirmative.” Lex said, sounding at once sad and angry. Lois recognized the anger as self-directed. 

“I’m kind of busy having my breakfast right now. Can’t quite function without it, so I’ll uh, call you back later, okay?” Lois said. She couldn’t face an opponent like Lex without knowing what was really going on. She had tried to sound friendly but ended the call before she heard an affirmative. 

Lois dropped her phone and grabbed a copy of the morning’s Daily Planet and turned searched for Clark’s article. 

She found it. It had to be, judging by the topic, but it only had her name on it. 

She read it once. And had to read a second time. Then a third. Clark didn’t look like he had an ounce of venom in him, and the article never went far enough to be truly objectionable … yet it was absolutely lethal - a written murder. Even as LexCorp was the subject there was a sharp and obvious subtext against its CEO. 

It was like what she could have possibly ended up with if she hadn’t decided that she would be too biased, but with Clark’s collaboration it was somehow even more scathing. Most of the words were still hers but tweaked by Clark in such a way that instead of diffusing her criticisms, Clark had elevated them. Lois winced. The whole point of her handing the assignment over to him was so this wouldn’t happen. Lois remembered too well how her acquaintance with Lex grew strained. But she didn’t know exactly how Clark’s attitude toward the Lex Luthor developed. She hoped it wasn’t similar to her experience. 

Jesus, what did he ever do to you, Clark? Lois thought. Why and how would a billionaire piss off a farm boy so much? Did he drop you like a rotten egg too when you came out of the closet to him?

She didn’t want to get on Clark’s bad side. She wasn’t even aware he really had one until reading the article. 

Oh god. She had to call Lex back. Clark hadn’t put his name on it - why hadn’t he put his name on it? He was responsible for at least half of it, escalating her more ill-advised written attacks in fact - but Lex must have thought it was all her because she was the only named author. 

“Lois?” Lex’s voice said again when she had called him. The phone barely had a chance to ring. He had picked it up fast. 

“I forgave you a long time ago.” Lois said because Lex sounded like he needed to hear it and because she meant it. She had forgiven him after what had happened at the Scottish Highlands but at the time she had been too fearful of being rejected again and had fled after he had rescued her. 

“Today’s article suggests otherwise.” 

The words are sarcastic enough to provoke her, though Lex said it gently. “Yeah? Maybe I am still mad.” Lois admitted. “Because we were close and that I trusted you with my secret and you didn’t out me but you denounced me in front of our peers and admitted that you had used me, that you only got close so maybe I’d tell my dad ‘hey why don’t you sign the defense contracts with LuthorCorp. I’m not just saying this because Lionel Luthor’s son is my best friend but because the company has the best resources to fill the quality and quantity standards of these orders in the designated time period’? I thought you of all people understood the paranoia that came with people befriending you because of your wealth or name but not who you were! I wouldn’t have suspected you of such a thing and you were a breath of fresh air after all the goddamn senators that were trying to throw their daughters at me! After you said we weren’t friends anymore I couldn’t fucking sleep for days - because Lex Luthor said he wasn’t going to be my friend anymore so why would he keep my secret? And maybe what you said was an excuse and really, you just didn’t want to be friends with a tranny!” 

Lois gulped for breath, realizing that she was too loud, even in the normally noisy bullpen, and people were starting to stare. She’s so pissed off she forgot to say that she was only responsible for half of the article, forty percent really. Currently, she was feeling regretful she hadn’t written the sharper attacks. She felt like buying Clark a coffee right now or treating him to a free dinner. She ducked her head. 

“I never outed you.” Lex said. 

That was true but Lois had been terrified he would, and she had been outed eventually. 

“And I never regretted being your friend. But the reason I very publicly broke our friendship at that time was because otherwise, there was a chance my father would have outed you.” Lex said. 

Lois let out an unsteady breath, shocked by the late revelation that Lex had destroyed their friendship as a means to protect her. 

“And I’m saying this now because he’s dead and he can’t harm you.”

“Or you.” Lois said. 

There’s a few moments of silence, then, Lois spoke again. “Can we be friends again?” She asked. There was still an insecure part of herself from her awful teenage years that reeled from people rejecting her. And pathetically she was trying to assuage that with the frankly bad decision of letting Lex Luthor back into her life. 

“No.”

No? Lois frowned. If Lionel was dead then what was stopping them from being friends again? 

“Lex - ” Lois began. Just say you don’t like being associated people like me. 

“I don’t want to be your friend because I want to date you.” Lex said. 

Lois wondered if her coffee had been brewed with special beans and she was hearing things. 

“What are you going to do about the defense contracts?” Lois asked, ignoring his statement for now. She had Lex on the line and a chance to find out. 

“Answer my question, Lois. Will you go out with me?” Lex asked. 

“Answer my question first.” 

“What do you want me to do with them?” Lex asked.

“That’s not answering the question.” Lois said. “I couldn’t and wouldn’t fill my father’s shoes. But would you with yours? Lionel’s dead but he can still win, Lex.” 

There’s an uncomfortable silence. 

“I’ll go out with you if you drop the weapons contracts instead of renewing them.” Lois said, knowing that in all likelihood Lex would not. It would be a huge blow to LexCorp’s stock and bottom line without the income streams generated from decade long installations, R&D initiatives and shipments of manufactured products. But if Lex wanted to get back into her good graces at all, he had to give up what he had broken their friendship over, and she doubted he would take such actions. “Talk to you later.” Lois said. She closed her phone. 

—

Lois saw her co-worker when Clark arrived to work late. 

“Sorry, I overslept.” Clark apologized, getting onto his seat. 

“I don’t care what your excuse is, just start working.” Lois said, while she had gotten in the last word she was still off balance from having to deal with Lex. She was currently trying to deal with that by throwing herself into work but Clark’s sheepish apology had broken her work trance. 

She was already busy with a piece of news. Early this morning, Superman had assisted with putting out a fire that had spread from the top floor of one apartment building to two neighboring ones. It was a bad time, where many people were asleep and unaware of the blaze, but because of Superman many lives had been saved. 

Lois looked crossly at her co-worker. While some people were asleep, others were doing great things. 

“Is there something on my face?” Clark asked, noticing Lois’ expression. 

“No. I want to speak to you about the article you wrote on LexCorp.” Lois said. 

“Oh, do you think I did a good job?” Clark asked. 

“You did great.” Lois said, and she meant it because it had absolutely trashed the company and its CEO. She vowed to discover the source of Clark’s animosity toward Lex. 

Clark smiled and looked at his toes, crossing his arms behind his back like an abashed and blushing high school girl who had finally been noticed by a senior crush.

Lois mentally groaned after thinking of such a simile but his pose fit it to a tee. 

“But why isn’t your name there?” Lois asked. 

“Is it suppose to be?” 

“Yes, this is your work. It should have your name.” Lois said, somewhat irked by Clark’s confused tone. He was new to the Daily Planet, not reporting itself. To get credit for work you did was beyond a basic concept. 

“I thought I was suppose to fix up your article but it’s still yours right?” 

“Your work, your name.” 

“But I used your notes and your draft.”

“You put the goddamn thing together. It should have both our names.” Lois said, her patience gone. Why didn’t Clark want to own his work? “I’m going to speak to Perry. He’ll put in a statement in tomorrow’s edition to say you contributed to the article.” 

Clark looked like he wanted to argue some more but the phone on Lois’ desk rang and he went quiet. 

She picked it up. 

“Look outside?” Lois echoed the words of the person on the other side of the line. She pulled out the binoculars she had in her desk and looked.

There were dinosaurs in downtown Metropolis.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warnings: dinosaurs, some violence, injury

Clark watched as Lois slipped off her heels and began to put on the boots she kept under her desk, her movements quick and practiced. 

On his first day he had asked her why she kept a pair of well-worn military-looking boots around and she had explained that they were durable and she could easily run fast in them. She had said in the office she wore heels but when investigating out on the field she wore the all-terrain combat boots - good for desert, tundra, jungle and more. 

“Why would you need that in Metropolis?” He had asked, because neither desert nor tundra was to be found in Metropolis and the only jungle was the metaphoric concrete jungle. He had asked though he perfectly knew why. 

The first time he had met her as Superman, Lois had, in the all-terrain boots, marched her way across a path he had used ice breath on to dissuade anyone from trying to reach the warehouse of a mob he was investigating. 

He had also discovered that getting herself into large amounts of danger was a regular habit for her. Those boots helped her get into such places. (He had stolen and destroyed a pair once but she just showed up the next day with another set. When he asked, she had said she had countless spares.) If she knew it existed, he suspected she'd run across the arctic in those boots to reach his Fortress. 

Lois snapped her fingers in front of Clark’s face, breaking him out of his past memories. 

She had finished putting on her boots already. 

“Smallville, wake up! We have to get going.” 

“We? We’re going to run outside and go toward the dinosaurs?”

“Field work. That T-Rex isn’t going to investigate itself.” Lois said. 

“I don’t think it’s suitable for us to run up to carnivorous dinosaurs.” Clark stammered. 

“One of them is clearly a brontosaurus, judging by the neck. So there is one herbivore. You can get close to that one.” Lois said, noticeably dropping the use of "we".

“It’s not a job for us.” Clark said. “I think it’s better left to Superman, he - ”

Lois stomped angrily and swiftly away at the mention of Superman, already heading toward an elevator. 

Clark sighed. He had the feeling she wasn’t too fond of Superman, despite giving him the name. Probably because he lectured her whenever he caught her intruding into various dangerous situations (the aforementioned warehouse situation, seeing her there had not been a pleasant surprise) and he had stealthily interfered countless times without her knowing. 

He followed her to the elevator. 

“You’re joining me after all?” Lois asked.

“Yes.” Clark said. “I was just assigned as your partner after all. I’m not going to miss our first field case together…and I’ve always wanted to see dinosaurs since I was little.” 

Lois smiled, nodding. “Me too! And we’re going to see them alright. But let’s get there before Superman does his usual thing.”

“What usual thing?”

“Destroying shit or throwing it into the ocean.” 

—

Lois drove because Clark did not own a car. 

As they neared the dinosaurs, thick vegetation that matched the creatures increased, overwhelming the steel and concrete of the city. The car had to be parked and left behind as the two of them traveled by foot. 

The vegetation was doing horrible things to Clark’s dress shoes. He couldn’t keep up, not unless he started using his abilities. He thought the vegetation odd, even if he was holding back from using his powers he shouldn’t be having as hard a time he was trudging through. He knew it was time to for him to change into his alterego.

“Lois, wait. Slow down.” Clark gasped, feigning being out of breath. This wasn't too hard because strangely enough the presence of the trees and grass seemed to bear down on him. 

Clark could barely see Lois and the impatient set to her shoulders, through the thick trees and tall grass, though she was only a few feet ahead of him. She had already purposely slowed down for him enough before he had asked. 

“Do you get regular exercise, Smallville?” Lois asked. “Or did you lose your farmboy stamina after years working a city desk job?” She asked, turning around. 

“I - I lost my shoe.” Clark said, kicking up the socked foot that was conspicuously missing a brown oxford for her to see. 

“Oh my god.” She said, exasperated. In her combat boots, she was having an easier time trekking through the thick grass and trees. 

“I’m going to go back and look for it. Please hold off on getting too close to the dinosaurs in the meantime…” Clark said, knowing how unlikely it was for Lois to listen to him.

“Are you hurt?” Lois asked. 

Clark shook his head. 

“Then…five minutes.” Lois said. “You have five minutes to find your shoe.” 

—

Lois shook her head, charging forward, one foot after the other. It figured the newbie would clumsily lose a shoe and slow her down. It had been eight minutes, she was moving on. 

She wasn’t going to lose her chance to see actual dinosaurs. The memory of watching Jurassic Park was embed in her mind along with person she had watched it with. Lex. Lois entertained the notion that he may possibly be behind this. He had expressed his enthusiasm for dinosaurs after viewing the film, the last they had seen together as friends. Lois frowned, shaking off the memories. She was thinking of him too much. 

Whatever the why and how of the dinosaurs actually was, she would have a better chance finding out the closer she got.

The dinosaurs get close to her first. 

Lois screamed when she was suddenly carried into the air and toward the noisy center the dinosaurs were gathered. A pterodactyl had caught her off guard. 

Seconds later, she felt the pterodactyl being sent flying away from her as she fell into human - or rather humanoid arms. 

“You punched a pterodactyl!” Lois shouted at the being who had saved her from the pterodactyl’s grasp. It wasn’t an impressed tone but a judgmental tone. _How dare you hurt the poor pterodactyl._

She watched. Fortunately, the pterodactyl had run, flying far away and out of the sight. 

“Miss Lane, getting into trouble rather early in the day, aren’t you?” Superman said in an equally judgmental tone. 

“Yes, it’s always trouble o’ clock with me.” Lois said sarcastically, though there was truth to her statement. 

She looked down. 

“Look.” Lois pointed with her free arm. The other she had curled around Superman’s neck, for balance. 

“Hmm?” Superman said distractedly, his eyes darted away from her arm that was around his neck and in the direction of a Tyrannosaurus Rex emerging from a large hole in the earth. 

He scanned the building the hole was connected to, frowning. It was a LuthorCorp building, though now, from the recent acquisitions, was now LexCorp property. The underground of the building was the dinosaurs’ source. 

“…isn’t that a LuthorCorp building?” Lois asked, realizing the same thing. 

Before Superman could reply with an affirmative, he and his passenger were both surprised as a net flew right past a few feet in front of them and opened over another pterodactyl. It didn’t fall far, landing on the beams of a construction in progress. 

A helicopter appeared in view from behind a skyscraper. 

Lois recognized the people inside. Lex Luthor had dropped the weapon that shot the net in exchange for tranquilizer gun while his bodyguard Mercy Graves piloted the helicopter. 

“Luthor!” Superman shouted. “I should have known you were involved somehow. Why - ” 

“As fun as it might be to revive extinct creatures, I’m not behind this.” Lex interrupted. “It was one of my father’s secret projects.” His attention shifted to Lois and he set his eyes on her. “I can clean it up by myself, you need not interfere.”

She stared right back.

Superman made a noise of disagreement and used his ice breath to freeze a too close raptor against a wall. 

“Dinosaurs are reptilian, don’t use ice breath on them!” Lois said, appalled. She broke eye contact with Lex, then she punched Superman’s shoulder. “Just, you - God, they’ve already been extinct. Don’t bully them!”

“Don’t bully the dinosaurs?” Superman asked in disbelief. 

“Yes, you overgrown jock. Don’t hurt them. For someone who saves kittens you’re really mean to dinosaurs.” Lois complained. 

“She’s always had a soft spot for animals.” Lex said, smiling fondly and shooting a dart into the neck of a brontosaurus. 

“Kittens don’t carry people off into the air!” Superman protested, looking around for more pterodactyls though it appeared most of them had already been captured by what was now noticeably squads of LexCorp employees who were collecting nets and driving various vehicles, ground and air. 

“No, aliens do that.” Lex said. 

Superman glowered. Everyone knew because he had stated the fact to Lois in an interview but Lex particularly liked to rile him up about it by referencing it negatively. 

“Set me down over there.” Lois commanded, pointing next to the spot it looked like Lex’s helicopter would land. 

“What? By Luthor’s helicopter?” Superman asked, surprised. 

“Yeah.” Lois confirmed. “Don’t you dare set me down somewhere away from all this.” She gestured at a dinosaur. “I wanted to reach here.”

Once the helicopter landed, Superman landed on the same building and reluctantly set Lois down. 

“Is there a second tranquilizer gun?” Lois asked Lex upon approaching his helicopter. 

“Yes.” He said, surprise at Lois asking was evident in his voice.

“Okay, Mercy.” Lois said. “You’re a good shot so why don’t you grab that gun while I do the piloting, huh?” She asked. “That way you and Lex can get the dinosaurs to calm down without Superman punching them out.” 

Mercy frowned. She didn’t let up her grip on the controls. 

“Do it, Mercy.” Lex said. 

She nodded and yielded the seat to Lois. 

Moments later the helicopter was in flight again and heading toward a T-Rex, the last dinosaur visibly still at large.

“You just wanted a mode of flight you could direct, didn’t you?” Lex asked. 

“Yup.” Lois confirmed, piloting the helicopter without trouble. 

Superman was already fighting the T-Rex - and having trouble. During the struggle, green-tinted golden sap from the surrounding tress had fallen on his outfit. 

The T-Rex fell down after three darts from Lex and Mercy but by then its teeth had caught Superman’s shoulder, which bleed. 

Lois stared. Wasn’t the Man of Steel suppose to be invulnerable? 

She landed the helicopter, appalled by what she was witnessing. 

Behind her, Lex and Mercy exchanged urgent whispers. 

Lois worked on undoing her seatbelt but Lex was faster, leaving his weapon to Mercy and exiting the helicopter before Lois. He ran to Superman, a first aid kit in hand. He braced up the injured Kryptonian while Lois found her path blocked by Mercy who had thrown up her arm, keeping her from exiting the helicopter. 

Whispers were exchanged between the two men, with Lex moving his mouth by Superman’s ear and speaking first. Lois was beginning to feel seriously out of the loop. As a reporter, it was a feeling she did not like. 

“Miss Lane, Mr. Luthor instructed me to escort you back to your place of employment.” Mercy said. 

“But - ” Lois began to protest, she wanted to fight her even, though she had tried in the past before and lost. 

“Get back into the pilot’s seat.” Mercy interrupted. 

“You’re making me pilot myself back to the Daily Planet?” Lois asked in disbelief. Her scandalized expression would have had a better effect if she had been actually looking at Mercy, but instead she observed as Lex guided Superman into an armored van. 

“Yes, you’re very capable.” Mercy said. “And I fear if I piloted you would do something like…jump out from the passenger’s seat.” 

Lois squirmed guiltily. 

“Can I at least touch the T-Rex? That’s what I came down here for.” Lois said. “Tell me you’ve never wished as a kid that dinosaurs were still around so you could touch one or see them in action?” 

Lois held her breath, there was a spark in Mercy’s brown eyes, but what did it mean? 

“No. I did not.” Mercy said. 

Lois wondered if she could get away with a surprise attack. Probably not. 

“But I did wish for a miniature Godzilla.”

“Why miniature?” 

“Convenient enough to ride to school on.” Mercy said, lowering her arm. 

Lois beamed at Mercy and ran past her before she could change her mind. 

She briefly touched the warm, scaly skin of the sleeping T-Rex before running up to Superman and Lex, who was getting him into an armored van. She was certain Hope, Lex’s other bodyguard, was the driver. 

“Hey - Lex isn’t kidnapping you, is he?” Lois asked Superman, who had his eyes closed. His iconic red cape was noticeably missing. 

Superman opened his eyes. He looked at Lois, surprised, then his eyes darted to Lex. “No? He isn’t?”

“Why don’t you sound certain?” Lois asked suspiciously. What if the dinosaurs were some kind of elaborate scheme to capture the Man of Steel?

“I’m right here.” Lex said, sighing dramatically. “And I am only going to treat his injuries since I am partially responsible, the facility the dinosaurs originated is one of LexCorp’s newly acquired assets - which were not thoroughly investigated as it should have been pre-transaction. Are you taking notes, Lois?” 

“Yes.” Lois said, because mentally she was. 

“You’re a witness.” Lex said. “You know he’s here, so if he isn't flying around again in a few hours - you have my number.” 

Lois blinked. She did have his number because he had called her earlier. She could dial it right back…if Lex didn’t disable it in the meantime. 

Superman was looking at the two of them curiously now and Lois saw his wondering stare. 

“You really going to be okay, big guy?” Lois asked, trying to center the attention back on Superman. 

Superman nodded and that was all Lois could see because Lex had entered the van and closed the door behind him. 

Sighing, Lois returned to the helicopter where Mercy was waiting for her, and seated herself onto the pilot’s seat. 

—

“So the grass and trees were grown from meteorite based fertilizer and the herbivore and omnivore dinosaurs ate the grass and then the carnivorous dinosaurs ate them…which is why the T-Rex could harm me?” Clark asked. Lex had told him to hold still but he figured he could still speak. 

“You were doing well before sap got on your cape…” Lex said. Because his hands were busy applying medicine to Clark’s shoulder, Lex inclined his head toward the lead box Clark’s Superman outfit had been thrown in. One of the first things Lex had done was to strip Clark out of the suit because it was covered in the radioactive sap of trees grown from Kryptonite fertilizer. “Now quiet down so I can focus.”

Clark went silent. He didn’t have a task except to be still, but he was distracted. Clark’s too aware that Lex was kneeling and tending to his wound and all that separated Lex’s dress pants from his bare skin was the red shock blanket he was covered with. The blanket reminded him of old memories - a car crash, the first of many lies and rescues. 

The blanket covered his chest and knotted up on one shoulder while the other, the one with the bite, was exposed. It was like he was wearing a toga. 

Clark snorted, the laughter moving his body. 

Lex glared at him. “What’s so funny?” Lex asked. “Is being bitten by a T-Rex funny?”

“Better than fighting an L-Lex.” Clark said. “And I just noticed I’m wearing this blanket like a toga.” 

Lex shook his head but nonetheless gave a low chuckle. He refocused on measuring out gauze. 

Clark watched him. These days, Lex knew many of his secrets, though some were less secret-like than they had been in the past. Clark had told Lex that he was transgender much earlier than he had told Lex that he was an alien from the planet Krypton. People knew Clark Kent was a trans man. He was out to his friends, his family, the people he worked with and the public who read his articles. It was public knowledge Superman was a Kryptonian after he had granted Lois Lane an interview. But very few people knew Clark Kent was Superman, and Lex was one of them. 

The sharing of secrets and enacting of rescues were mutual…but not always balanced. Likewise, their friendship had its highs and lows. Currently it was… not that good, with the uncertainty of how Lex would helm in his late father’s projects as a point of contention. The appearance of dinosaurs only further irritated Clark’s suspicions, even if the CEO of LexCorp, who surely had better things to do, was personally treating his injury.

The dinosaurs were kinda of Lex’s fault. _He’s admitted so himself._ Clark thought. To Lois. Who he was apparently on a first name basis with. And she toward him…

_Lex isn’t kidnapping you, is he?_

_Are you taking notes, Lois?_

“You know…Lois seemed comfortable accusing you of stuff.” Clark said. _And referring to you by your first name._ “How do you two know each other?” 

Lex ignored his question and silently continued to work. 

“You’ll really shut down your father’s projects and not do something like inject further funds or take things to another level…right?” Clark asked.

“Yes. You’ll have to trust me on this and not do something like tunneling around the ground underneath Metropolis and dismantling things yourself.”

“Excuse me. I’d x-ray first before doing that - unless there was lead. Of course then I’d punch my way in and ask questions later.” 

There’s long seconds of tense eye contact before Lex cracked first, the flat line of his lips quirking upward. 

Clark grinned back. “No, really. Make sure your father wasn’t cloning anything else because if there’s sabretooth tigers in the streets next week or an army of raptors I’m going to be trespassing on a lot of LexCorp properties.” 

“Give me time.” Lex said, not making any promises. Clark preferred that, at least that meant there was none to break. 

Clark began humming a tune because Lex didn’t seem inclined to speak further. It was one he had overheard Lois hum and thinking of her, Clark’s thoughts turned to the excuses and lies he would have to think up before returning to the Daily Planet and explaining his failure to show up. 

“You said you weren’t ever a fan.” Lex said suddenly. 

“Huh?”

“Of Warrior Angel”. Lex said. “But you’re humming the theme to the cartoon adaption.” 

“It’s just something I picked up.” 

"Done.” Lex said, putting away the first aid supplies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cloned dinosaurs do mean a certain “genetic love child” is going to show up and ruin everyone’s love lives. I’ll tag him when he appears. 8)


	3. Chapter 3

Lois landed the helicopter on the Daily Planet building without the globe being an obstacle. There was enough space on the vast expanse of the building roof and she wasn’t a novice pilot. 

She doesn’t try to talk to Mercy, the bodyguard’s posture was too closed off. Instead, she thoughtfully stepped out of the way so Mercy could take back the pilot’s seat and fly off. 

Maybe it was too soon but Lois leaned against the guardrails and watched the sky, waiting to catch a glimpse of Superman - a confirmation Lex wasn’t holding him somewhere.

“Lois!”

Lois turned around at hearing the muffled sound of her name. 

She was faced with Clark Kent, who had a mouth full of sandwich, a brown and white corner of the bread sticking out of his mouth. 

Erugh. Manners. Did he grow up on a fa - wait, nevermind. 

Clark swallowed the sandwich, coughing. 

“What are you doing here?” Lois asked. 

“I couldn’t find my shoe and I tried calling you but you wouldn’t pick up and then a police officer stopped me because I was jumping around with one shoe so I guess that was kind of suspicious and I had to explain, then I wanted to buy a pair of shoes I could use and move on but either the design wasn’t right or the shoes didn’t fit me and I didn’t want to waste money so I decided to take a taxi back to the Daily Planet and now I’m on my lunch break.” Clark said, finally stopping for breath. 

Lois was stunned Clark appeared to have a strong set of lungs for such a sentence but then why did he have trouble running earlier? And furthermore… 

“I didn’t want to waste money you say - but you took a cab back.” Lois commented. Since he had missed the dinosaurs, Lois seriously hoped Clark had been working since he returned to the building. She noticed he was wearing a pair of spare janitor’s boots. 

“Yup.”

Lois opened her phone, sure enough there were five missed calls from Clark. She didn’t pick up since she had been busy being rescued from a pterodactyl and then piloting a helicopter. Her phone also had a text message from Lex. Lois frowned and considered deleting without reading it. 

She read the message. 

YR CAR’S BACK IN ITS PARKING SPACE BTW. YW. 

“Here.”

Lois looked up from her phone to see Clark offering her a lunch bag. 

Where did that come from?

“Thank you.” Lois said, opening it to the scent of turkey, ham, lettuce and extra tomatoes. Looks like someone had paid attention to what she ate for lunch. Lois didn’t know if she should be flattered or weirded out. She forgot the lecture she had been building up about Clark’s failure to show up. Maybe that was his plan. Well, it was working. 

“You’re welcome. It was the least I could do. I’m your partner but I practically ditched you on our first investigation.” Clark said. 

Lois nodded, taking a bite out of the sandwich. She didn’t disagree with that. 

—

A mere two hours after lunch, hell metaphorically broke loose. 

Shortly after Lois had returned, LexCorp announced an impromptu press conference. Lois would have thought it was for explaining the dinosaurs and when she arrived at the designated place with Clark, she was already in a wary mood because on the drive over she noticed her car, while on the surface appeared the same, was not. There were safety features it shouldn’t have as a car of its model and age and there were no longer stains that Lois had thought set in forever ago. 

Lex spoke about LexCorp’s ongoing plan of utilizing the synergies that were to arise from its absorption of LuthorCorp assets and how he was going to leverage or combine the existing core capabilities of his company to strengthen its position and focus to the clean energy and health care industries.

Lex was trying to sell the integration strategy of LexCorp creating high quality and affordable clean energy and health care products. 

Lois had read a business administration textbook or two before. To sell things, companies had two basic strategies. Making highly differentiated, high quality products that they could charge customers a premium for or producing undifferentiated products that were the lowest cost in their market to attract customers. Apple was the former and Walmart the later. Trying to do both and integrating the two was tricky because higher quality implied higher costs and attempts resulted in disaster if done incorrectly – a product that didn’t meet the right quality standards to appeal to those that wanted it but were too expensive for price-sensitive customers.

But Lex was announcing its intent to bring _high grade_ and _low cost_ healthcare and clean energy to the masses. 

Lois suppose she should be happier about Lex’s announcement about the future of his company but the more she listened the more she knew where things were leading. 

“To achieve these goals, some reorganization is in order but I assure everyone that an intensive amount of planning and research has been put in.” Lex said. 

Yes, Lois could see that. Reorganization but not as drastic as those that would be needed for a company that didn’t have the capabilities LexCorp did, especially since it had taken over LuthorCorp. It was strong in engineering, especially bioengineering and biotechnology, because starting out in fertilizers had led to experimentation on producing designer seeds. Its mechanical and electrical engineering capacities were high caliber too because of LuthorCorp’s history of weapons manufacturing and LexCorp had inherited that as well. 

And then it happened. 

Lex scandalously announced his intention to drop the weapons manufacturing agreements LuthorCorp held because he was directing the company’s engineering capabilities toward clean energy and LexCorp’s biology related labs and assets toward healthcare. 

The murmurs of the gathered press members had turned into downright clamoring, drowning out Lex’s comment about how it wouldn’t do for his company to heavily engage in healthcare and weapons manufacturing. 

Lois imagined Lionel Luthor must be rolling in his grave. 

In fact, she felt a need to hide in the earth because Lex had announced he was dropping the defense contracts his father had basically won from hers. 

That meant she had to give Lex a chance and date him. 

_I didn’t think he’d actually do it._ Lois thought.

Or did she? Lex had never declined any dares she had issued to him while they were kids but she had not worded dropping the contracts as a dare and she had thought Lex would be more mature by now. And he was, but also not. 

She had forgotten Clark was there. The man tended to try to take up as little space as possible, preferring and acting to not be noticed. Lois remembered he existed when she embarrassingly fell backwards and met his solid chest.

“Lois, what’s wrong?” Clark asked, alarmed. He gripped her lightly by the shoulders, helping her stay upright. 

“Nothing.” Lois said, even as she was thinking: _This is your fault somehow, if you hadn’t written that article and left off your name to leave me with all the credit would Lex have called me and ask to date me? I think not or at least you should be half-responsible. Why don’t you date him in my place?_ “Just, um, can you drive us back to the Planet?” 

“Can do.” Clark said, guiding her to her car with a surprising steadiness. 

—

“What do you think of the LexCorp CEO’s speech?” Lois asked Clark once they were back in the building. The car ride had been silent, with Clark focusing on driving while Lois tried to come to terms with the fact that Lex had filled the only requirement she had given him in regards to being able to date her. 

“Hmm, I could talk or you could find out once I get a draft typed up.” Clark said. 

“Alright.” Lois said. “Give it to me to read before handing it off to the editor.” She had to pay attention to what Clark wrote this time after what happened with the LexCorp article because this too was also about LexCorp. “And…” She held out her handwritten notes on the morning’s dinosaur incident. She figured she couldn’t handle any articles related to Lex anymore because if she thought her bias was bad before it would be worse because likely before next week she would be in a relationship with him. 

“…can you write something up about this morning’s dinosaurs? I wrote down some notes but - ”

Clark took the offered documents. “I got it. I didn’t show up so I gotta make up for that by writing up the article.” Clark said, flashing a thumbs up with his empty hand. 

“Please remember to put down your name.” Lois said. “My notes but it’s your words.” 

“Got it.” Clark said, hunching over his computer and empathizing his already atrocious posture. 

After hearing that, Lois left for Metropolis’ streets. There were things she needed to see and check that couldn’t be done by phone, or were better done in person. While she was outside she caught sight of a red cape and only then did she realized how stressed and keyed up she had been after the relief that followed seeing Superman again. 

But if he was nearby it meant trouble was also close by. 

Sure enough, it turned out that a transportation truck with weighty cargo, a newer model, was too tall to pass over an older overhead bridge. 

She recalled a time Superman would have removed the bridge to get the truck to past. It was faster he had said, and she had countered it was also more destructive. 

Superman had many powers but couldn’t be in two places at once and in the early days he had been more crude with his solutions. 

But today he wasn’t ruining things for people who did need to use the overhead bridge because he was taking his time by removing the cargo to empty the truck before modifying its structure with the red beams from his eyes, so it could be unstuck and pushed through to the other side of the overhead infrastructure.

Once it was through he modified it yet again to its original height. A blur of movement and the cargo was returned to the inside of the truck. Superman warned the driver not to attempt a pass like that again when it looked like such a truck would not fit. 

Lois interviewed the driver and Superman. Because of Superman’s deed the traffic that manifested when people got off their 9 to 5 jobs would not be more agonizing than it already was. 

She returned to the Daily Planet in an elevated mood. There were many directions the story could go, bigger picture things about the need to upgrade the city’s older infrastructure or the state of trucking industry regulations. 

Lois got in her own articles and she read Clark’s drafts. This time it was snark-free. There was praise for LexCorp’s decisions and support of it shedding the defense contracts gained from LuthorCorp. He didn’t even cut in deep where it was obvious to about the dinosaurs that had broken out. Lois felt a sense of disappointment because then there was a possibility Clark’s venomous style was a a one-time fluke. The article produced on LexCorp is polite and neutral to the point it was bizarre to think the same person wrote this piece and the one yesterday on the same company. Lois sighed, maybe that time her existing draft had influenced Clark too strongly and this one he was free to do alone was more him? Technically good but also bland? 

Clark had put down his name. At least some problems were solved. 

The end to the chaotic work day could not have come faster.


	4. Chapter 4

“I’m pleased to know that you do not despise me as much as I thought you had.” Lex said the next morning. He had called Lois’ phone again. 

“Huh?” Lois said. She only had three sips of her caramel soy latte so far. Her cheese and ham bagel was half finished. 

“Now that I know Mr. Kent had a hand in things.” Lex said. “Was that the first in a long line of collaborations?” 

Oh, right. Today, the correction that Clark had contributed significantly to the article that only had her name on it had been issued. Lex knew now that she wasn’t responsible for all the crushing criticisms from yesterday’s article.

“Yes actually. He’s new here, started this week, but was assigned as my work partner.” 

“Really?” Lex said. “What do you think of him?”

Lois registered a sharp interest. 

“Not always reliable. He’s too apologetic, and dull…except when he’s not, as you can see from yesterday’s article, but dull again when looking at today’s.”

“Hmm.” 

Lois couldn’t read what that meant. 

“And what does he think of you?” Lex asked. 

“How should I know? I haven’t asked and he hasn’t told me.” Lois said. “Why are we talking about him?” Lois thought Lex was calling to officially call her in on the words she had said. _“I’ll go out with you if you drop the weapons contracts.”_

“Yes, why are we? Is your Saturday night free, Lois?” Lex asked. 

“Saturday, as in tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

Lois considered. Her Saturday night was free but it could easily not be. She could be spending it consoling her friend, Catherine Grant. Lois had become friends with the cisgender woman once she got Cat to stop giving her unsolicited behavioral advice. (Be weaker and meeker, Lois. You’re too aggressive. You’ll always be single if you keep this up. Men can’t stand women being stronger than them.) 

This morning, Lois saw that Cat was wearing the same pink blouse she had worn Monday and to be an outfit repeater during the week just wasn’t her…unless she was going through a breakup, again. A mopey, dejected Cat tended to be more productive in order to distract herself. People could predict Cat’s single or not status based on her output, following a breakup she turned in more articles, and did her laundry earlier than she needed to. 

“I have to check up on someone.” Lois said. “I’ll call you back later.” 

“Alright.” Lex said. 

Lois ended the call. 

—

A check on Cat revealed that her friend was trying to hold back tears but failing as she ate a strawberry yogurt. 

Lois was familiar with the signs by now. 

It was as she suspected. A strawberry yogurt. This was bad. It wasn’t even something like key lime pie, cheesecake, peaces and cream or cinnamon roll. Cat hated simple yogurt flavors but she was sadly snacking on one. 

Following breakups, what helped Cat was a session of watching movies while she ate every comfort food in her apartment but especially mint chocolate chip ice cream and macaroons. This was better done with a friend, or friends, and Lois had spent her Saturday nights in such sessions in the past. 

Romance movies were avoided at all costs and even comedy films because of the existence of romantic-comedies. They marathoned action films until they fell asleep or the sun came up, the more pure the action the better, with preferably no romantic subplots. 

“Cat, did the accounting guy - ?” Lois began, she knew not to say the now ex’s name. 

Cat nodded and rose from her seat, hugging Lois, who returned the hug. 

“I thought he would be the one, Lois.” Cat wailed.

Oh boy. Lois had heard that one before.

“But he’s accepted a position at one of his firm’s Europe divisions. I can’t do long distance relationships. He knew that and he still…” Cat wiped at her tears using Lois’ scarf. 

“He accepted and then dumped you?”

“I dumped him.” Cat corrected. “His career was more important to him. And I know Adam made him anxious.” 

Lois nodded. Lois didn’t know personally, but dating was tricky for singles who had children. She knew a frequent point of conflict Cat had with the men she dated, was her young son. If things got serious they would not only be making a commitment to her, but had to care for him as well. It was a set deal. Cat put her son first and she expected her dates to do the same. But when they didn’t fit into Cat’s life with her son, and didn’t want the commitment or baggage, to take care of a child that wasn’t theirs, Cat was the one left with a broken heart. 

Cat poked at the rose pin in the bun Lois had worn her hair in today. “How do you do it, Lois? You and him and other career driven people.” 

“Do what?”

“Forgo romance in your lives.”

“To find satisfaction elsewhere? Romance isn’t for everyone.” Lois said. 

“That’s true.” Cat sighed. “But you’re a strong romance-avoiding offender. When was the last time you dated someone?”

Lois knew. At least a year ago. She considered things. She could put off the Saturday night date with Lex but what about next Saturday and the one after that? She couldn’t avoid Lex forever. And Lois knew Cat could forget herself if distracted with details from Lois love life. There was no better gossip than if Lois stated she would have a date with Lex Luthor Saturday night, especially since the status quo of her live life was its non-existence. 

“A while,” Lois said. “But, uh, that’s changing because I might be have a date…tomorrow night.”

Cat raised her head from where it had been soaking Lois’ sleeve. “Oh my god. No way - who? I was going to suggest we watch the Matrix franchise tomorrow night but forget that!” 

“He’s high profile and I’m actually not sure yet if the relationship is set or can be known as a thing by other people.” Lois said. She wasn’t sure of the parameters of dating Lex yet. LexCorp’s stock was already in turmoil because of yesterday’s announcement. What would happen if the public knew Lex was to date her, someone also in the public eye as a reporter, and out as a trans woman? 

While she loved Cat, Lois also knew her friend wasn’t very good at keeping secrets. But Lois knew she had to give Cat some indication she was dating though or Cat would be upset if she found out Lois was dating again and didn’t tell her. And Lois knew she eventually needed someone to vent to because it was Lex she was getting involved with. 

“Lois, are you making stuff up to cheer me up?” Cat said, stepping back and returning to her seat to pout. “Because even if I’m down about my own romance I could be happy about the reemergence of your love life, right?” 

“I’m not!” Lois said. “He’s waiting for me to call him back right now but I was checking to see if you’ll be okay Saturday n- ”

“He’s waiting?” Cat exclaimed. “Why are you making him wait? Call him back right now and tell him you’ll see him!” 

Lois had brought her phone with her. She dialed Lex’s number. 

“Lois?” Lex said. 

Lois swallowed. She was getting too used to the sound his voice over the phone. “My Saturday night is free, so if that’s when you want to have our date…I’m game.”

“I was worried about the short notice. But you’re free.” 

Lois could hear his smile. She listened as Lex named a time and address - his penthouse. A private place. Not a more public restaurant. She was already trying to gauge meaning and intent, maybe she wouldn’t fully know until tomorrow night, when she and Lex would be alone… She stopped her train of thought. 

“Okay. I’ll drive there myself when its time.” Lois said, trying to have some control in the situation. She wasn’t going to have someone deliver her there. 

Lex didn’t protest. 

“Bye. See you then.” Lois said, ending the call. 

Cat smiled, tossing her empty yogurt can into a distant trash can with accuracy. “I’m so happy for you, Lois!”

—

Besides the crying Cat emergency it was a relatively calm Friday. There were no sudden appearance of dinosaurs, the work day ending without any unusual events. Though Clark had managed to get lost twice, once before and once after reaching the city’s Department of Motor Vehicles but at least he had achieved the objective of interviewing key personal and gathering details on the fake ID scandal it was currently embroiled in. 

Lois had taken taken public transportation with Clark, then they walked because Lois thought Clark needed more exercise but she wouldn’t have suggested it if she knew it was going to be such a headache locating him. With the coordination and attention spam he appeared to possess she wondered why he chose to be a reporter of all things. But his work history had suggested that was what he did, lose his way but also manage to run into a great scoop. Some people had all the luck. 

The time went by quickly because Lois threw herself into work. When work ended Lois knew she should be looking forward to the weekend but… a date, she had a date but no suitable dress. That meant she had to buy a new one before Saturday night.

Illogically, she thought if she didn’t sleep then maybe Saturday would not arrive. Her stomach rumbled. Oh geez. What was partially responsible for her odd thoughts had to be her earlier less than filling meal. She had been too distracted by work. 

She grabbed her trench coat, noticing that Clark was getting his own coat as she did so. 

“Hey - ”

Clark flinched. 

Lois froze, realizing she couldn't blame him considering their interactions thus far. The last time she says hey was to chew him out for getting lost on the way to the DMV. All the more vital she had to ask. 

“Clark…” Lois said in a softer voice. “Fancy going out for breakfast at night with your co-worker? My treat since I'm a senior staff member.” They were going to be working together so Lois had to at least try to built up a rapport. She was also curious about Clark and needed a setting where it was possible to ask him questions directly without interfering agents. It was sneaky but Lois also thought a relaxed, casual setting also meant it was more likely for him to open up. 

“Okay, sure.” Clark smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Implied past Lex/Lana/Clark love triangle  
> content warnings: mention of past bullying, transphobia, discussion of being closeted and being forcibly outed (reperccusions to being outed including being isolated/put away somewhere & almost being forced into a marriage), gender policing, anxiety over passing/not passing

Clark smiled when he saw the decor. The place Lois had brought him to was 24/7 joint modeled after the classic American breakfast diner. 

A look at the menu revealed deluxe burgers, chili cheese fries, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, buttermilk hot cakes, Belgian waffles, root beer floats, and a la mode pies. Clark wondered how much dessert he could get away with ordering without appearing to be a glutton. 

"Order as much as you like." Lois said, noticing Clark's interest. She ordered lemonade and a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. 

Clark got over his hesitation and ordered a steak burger, root beer float, and hotcakes. He would pie later, maybe. He suddenly missed his mother’s pie and he doubted the diner’s would match up. Clark also decided to order a breakfast combination like Lois. He had sunny-side up eggs, hash browns, sausage patties, bacon and toast. Hers similar except the eggs style was scrambled and the sausage were links, and for extra she had bacon and ham. 

“First week on the job, what’d you think?” Lois asked after the food had arrived and they had each taken a few bites. She looked across the booth style seating at him. 

“’S good.” Clark said. 

Lois wondered if he was talking about work or the hash browns he was digging into. 

“I like working at the Planet.” Clark said. “Good people.” He smiled at Lois.

Lois smiled back, then Clark dipped his head because he had smudged grease on his glasses after picking up a sausage pattie and eating it instead of using a fork. 

“It’s a large newspaper but it feels very familial. Everyone’s close and there’s a sense of duty to the public.” 

Lois agreed. The newspaper’s culture was why Lois felt comfortable enough to get out of the closet to that particular social circle and therefore the public even though it had been risky to do so. There was much support from her co-workers but there were also feelings of betrayal, people who worked with her for years angry and upset that she hadn’t confided in them or believed she had tricked them. But she had said it wasn’t necessary about them but about her, her own safety and feelings. It had taken time to mend things, talking and explaining to those she was closest to. Some of the workers there were still coming to terms with her being who she was, or never would, but she didn’t care as long as they did not harass her. The people that mattered accepted her and that was enough.

They eat in silence for a few more moments, then Lois struck. “So, how do you know Lex Luthor?” She asked. “You seem familiar with him judging by that first article you wrote on LexCorp. I’m curious as to where the fire came from on that one.”

Clark choked on his root beer float, which he had begun to drink in the middle of Lois’ questions. 

Lois leaned forward but Clark raised his hand and made a shooing, I-don’t-need-help gesture. Lois returned to her seat and waited for Clark to speak. 

“I saved his life and we became friends.” Clark said, he fiddled with his napkin nervously. 

“You saved his life?” Lois asked. That statement raised many questions. And when did they become friends, anyway? 

“I saved him from drowning.” Clark said. 

“But how did you become friends?” Lois asked. “It’s more likely he would have tried to express his gratitude in the form of expensive gifts while maintaining a distance.” 

Because Clark’s eyes widened, Lois knew she had hit the nail on the head. 

“That’s…well, the life-saving was mutual.” Clark said. 

“Mutual?” Lois said. The more Clark revealed the more Lois wanted to dig, especially since it involved something like mutual life-saving. “How did Lex save your life?”

“I was tied up like a scarecrow in a corn field and he found and released me before I died of exposure or something.” Clark said. He doesn’t mention the Kryptonite necklace that had weakened him though he knew Lois had to have more questions after what he divulged. 

“And you ended up like that in the first place because?”

Clark ran his fingers through his hair and sipped a long drink of root beer float. 

“I,uh, wasn’t out yet, at that time. I was a high school freshman and I tried joining the football team.” Clark said. “You know how it is, I wanted to be a part of the thing guys did.” 

"Yeah." Lois said. "I come from a military family and my sister and I were both taken to the shooting range, but only she was signed up for ballet lessons. Continue." 

“The cheerleaders thought it was a scheme to hook up with the football players.” Clark said. “Not all of them.” He amended. “Not all the cheerleaders I mean.” He munched half-heartedly on a triangle of toast. Lana certainly hadn’t thought so and she hadn’t been a part of the group that had captured him. The day of the incident she had gone early because she had been ill with the seasonal flu and when she found out what had happened she quit the cheer leading squad. They had stolen Lana’s necklace from the locker room and used it on him. 

“Some of them, lead by the head cheerleader,” Clark continued once he had swallowed the toast. “They kidnapped me to a corn field, where they proceeded to strip me…and discover I was wearing boxers.”

Lois finished off the last of her eggs, waiting for an explanation to the emphasis of that last statement. “Of course you were wearing boxers, because that’s what guys are suppose to wear.” Lois said. 

Clark nodded. “But they thought me wearing boxers was because I successfully seduced a football player and was wearing it like some kind of weird trophy.”

“Oh my god.” Lois said. “So they got even more pissed and left you practically naked and tied to a post in a corn field - where Lex proceeded to find you?” 

“I wasn’t practically naked!” Clark protested. “They said since I wanted to be a football player so badly, they put a jersey on me.”

“How kind of them.” Lois said sarcastically. 

“It had an ‘S’ on it. For ‘slut’.” Clark said. “Lex didn’t find me in my bra and boxers. I had the jersey on and it stopped half-way down my thighs so it wasn’t that bad.” Actually it kind of had been, because while Clark had fled as fast as possible, no explanation given, he eventually did have to explain. Lex had been curious about him wearing boxers. 

“Did he ask about the boxers?” Lois asked. 

Clark tilted his head. It was like she read his mind. 

“Yes.” Clark said. “Lex ended up being one of the first people I outed myself to.” Clark had outed himself as trans and that it was not something everyone else in general knew. Clark had felt kind of bad, because he knew Lex had liked hoarding that secret of his and Clark had used that secret to distract Lex from the alien one. Lex had been supportive of him and wanted to offer Clark the resources for getting a closet full of the clothes he dreamed of but Clark had stuck to his flannel and jeans. 

“Hmm, then that’s something we have in common.” Lois said. She sipped her lemonade. “You say you and Lex are friends, but that first article you wrote - do you write gentle articles like that all the time about your friends?” 

Clark flushed. “We were friends then and we still kind of are, but there’s bad blood.” He admitted. 

“Bad blood?” 

“We fought over the same woman.” Clark said. 

“Oh.” Lois said. That was a rather old and familiar tale. Two men fighting over the same woman. She thought about the article Clark had wrote. Now things made a little more sense. 

Clark finished chewing his steak burger. He thought it was about time he was the one asking questions. 

But the waitress had returned and asked if they would like dessert. He ordered peach pie a la mode. Lois ordered Belgian waffles.

“You said something we have in common…” Clark said after the waitress had departed. “Lex knew, but when did you get out of the closet to more people in general?”

Lois raised an eyebrow, surprised by Clark directing questions at her. “I was closeted for long time…”She said. “When more people found out it wasn’t voluntary.”

Clark furrowed his brow. 

“But being trans was just one of those things that was going to come out sooner or later. I would have preferred later but that’s how it is.”

“How it is?”

“Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” Lois said. “Benjamin Franklin.” 

“What?” Clark said, alarmed by the mention of death. 

“That’s who the quote is attributed to.” Lois said. “It means the only surefire way a secret can be kept if one person knows it. The more people that know the higher the chance of the secret falling outside of the circle that should hold the privileged information.”

“I guess that makes sense…” Clark said quietly, picking away at the remains of his steak sandwich. 

“I had people who were in different circles, people I went to school with, or church, or trained with, and someone people knew I was trans, other people didn’t. And I was making them keep promises, like you know but your best friend doesn’t but please don’t tell them that about me because you’re taking it well but they wouldn’t.”

“Been there, done that.” Clark said. “But it eventually happened, right? Somebody who knew told somebody who shouldn’t know.” 

“Yeah. Loose lips sink ships. Lucy, my little sister…she didn’t mean it but it happened.”

“Founding father and World War II propaganda poster quoting.” Clark smiled. “Truly, a general’s daughter.” Clark’s smile disappeared. “How did your dad take it?” 

“Not well. This is going to sound strange, but it was almost a relief. Being outed like that.” Lois said. Fear, guilt and isolation had plagued her. Her dad had thought she was cisgender and heterosexual. She had avoided other people in the LGBT community because if her father guessed that she was one of them just because she had friends that were, he would have been right. There was a sharp danger because from the guys around her - cisgender, heterosexual sons of military men who thought she was one of them, would destroy her if she revealed herself to be a woman that liked men. In her closeted state, she had piled up lie upon lie. 

“I think I can understand.” Clark said. “If people already know then there’s no need to do the dance.”

“The dance?”

“Of lies, with every new person you meet.” Clark said. “Having to hide an important part of yourself in the beginning, or always. Meeting someone and becoming close to them but having to wonder and analyze. Can I tell them my secret? Can I trust this person with my safety? Or do I just let them continue to refer to me as a girl? And lie to them and myself when I agree?”

Lois nodded. “I could finally drop the intricate web and behaviors I had maintained to protect myself…” 

“Only because they were made too broken to use.” Clark said, and the heat in his voice surprised her. 

“My dad didn’t take it well.” Lois said, deciding to answer Clark’s question since he had shared his humiliating story of being tied up in a cornfield. “He told me that my sick uncle in Scotland wanted to see me because there was a possibility he wouldn’t recover...” Lois paused, noticing that Clark’s posture had tensed. 

“He lived in the Highlands, in an isolated little mountain village.” Lois continued. “When I got there my distant, extended family stole my US visa, ID, cellphone and other means of communication. I couldn’t leave the place and going to the authorities didn't help because everyone there was in on it. They tried to “set me straight” by pushing me into marrying a local girl.”

“How did you escape?” Clark asked, though he knew.

“I had to be rescued.” Lois said. “A friend tracked me down and stopped the wedding, got me my stuff back and we flew out of Scotland.” 

Clark had more questions now but he was distracted as a long-haired blond approached their table and threw her her multicolored manicured nails down on it. 

“Lois! You finally found time for a girlfriend instead of keeping your fingers on a keyboard or pencil, huh?” The blond’s royal blue painted lips curled into a grin.

Clark blinked. What girlfriend? Early this week, Cat had told him Lois was single, and had nudged him very unsubtlely. Maybe Lois had somehow gained one recently though he was not sure how she had found the time. 

Lois looked confused too. “Lisa?” She said questioningly. 

Clark assumed that was the blond’s name.

Lisa twirled her long floral-patterned skirt dramatically. “I see why you rejected me now if you like girls that are butch.”

Lois looked at Clark, the horror of dawning realization reaching her. The Daily Planet had Casual Fridays, where the dress code would be relaxed. Usually Clark wore ugly suits that were too big for him but today he was wearing blue jeans and red flannel. 

“Lisa…” Lois said slowly, now her cheeks were heating. “This is Clark Kent. _He’s_ my the new _work_ partner.” 

Lisa’s playful expression dropped. “Oh.” She clasped her hands together, distraught. “I’m sorry, Clark.” She said. “I’ll be leaving you two alone now, since I came here on business - got to pick up my girlfriend when her shift ends so I’ll be doing that. Bye.” 

“Bye?” Clark said. 

Lisa turned around, speed walking away. 

Lois sighed. “She arrived early actually so she could have talked to us for awhile but I guess she’s too embarrassed.” 

“Embarrassed?” Clark said. He wasn’t sure what had happened. 

“She thought you were my girlfriend.” Lois said. 

“What?” Clark blushed. “Why?”

“I guess sharing this table and…” Lois gestured at Clark’s attire. “The flannel…”

“That’s a stereotype - ”

“It’s also how lesbians signal to other lesbians that they are lesbians. Lesbians wear flannel.”

“Farmers and lumberjacks wear flannel. Why didn’t she think I was a lum-”

“You don’t have facial hair let alone a beard, farmboy.”

Clark opened his mouth to argue but the waitress appeared, setting down their ordered desserts. 

Clark decided to eat pie first, argue later. 

Lois too, began to eat the Belgian waffles she had ordered. 

“Well?” Clark asked once he had polished off his pie. “Are you going to tell me give up my flannel or something? And act more masculine to pass?” 

“Nope.”

“But the flannel - ”

“Do whatever you want to do, what makes you happy. If that’s your style it’s your style.” Lois said. “I might be saying different things if I was still like the past me who was obsessed with passing but I got real sick of people, even those that meant well, telling me how to act or what to wear. After what happened and all the time I spent being closeted I didn’t have much patience for the bullshit that happened once I was out.” 

“Thank you.” Clark said. “I know wearing flannel can make people mistake me for a lesbian but it’s a city thing - I didn’t have this issue in Smallville.”

“You were also deep in the closet while in Smallville.” Lois countered. 

“I was...how was it, navigating those early days of being out?” Clark said, his hands clasped and pose intent on hearing what Lois had to say. He sensed that she needed to vent. 

“When I was finally out…no matter what I did it was wrong somehow. I’m too shameless, too stubborn, and too bold.” Lois said. She glanced at Clark. “Hey, I can read that look you’re giving me. Yes, I’m self-aware. I know I am like that.”

“I wouldn’t rather you be anything else but yourself.” Clark smiled. 

“Oh you're saying this now, but give it a few weeks." Lois said. "...I was told that I was too loud and talkative, that taking up space and being confident just goes to show that I was behaving as my real gender.” She couldn't stop the bitterness that had slipped into her tone. 

Clark’s smile turned to a frown. 

“And that a lady should yield and care about her reputation. I was told, that if I wanted my womanhood to be validated I had to be more quiet, docile, passive - submissive, and to defer to others. When I tried to be quiet and soft-spoken then I was told I was being stereotypical. Make up or no make up. Dress or no dress. Hearing that I wasn’t trying hard enough to be a woman or that I was a parody of one.” Lois said. “I got tried of it and decided to just be myself. What I do is womanly because I am a woman. Just like that. So don’t take that bullshit if people are telling you that you aren’t acting as a man should. You are a man then what you do is what a man does. That’s enough.”

“I’m happy that you’re in a place you can accept yourself.” Clark said. “But I’m also curious as to your no–holds–barred opinion on my dress and mannerisms.” 

“Really, no restraints?” Lois asked curiously. 

“Don’t hold back.”

“Dress or mannerism first?”

“Mannerisms.”

“From what I’ve seen you're shy, and too much of a pushover, you look like a nerd, you move like you don’t think you deserve to take up the space you do, in addition to possessing the confidence of the Cowardly Lion.”

“Ouch. I said mannerisms first. Why did you throw in me looking like a nerd?” Clark complained. 

“You have nerd mannerisms.” Lois said. “Do you really want to hear my opinions on how you dress? You better back out while you can.”

“And enhance my cowardly rep? No way.” Clark said. “Tell me.”

“You’re a fashion disaster.” Lois took a deep breath. 

Clark’s eyebrows twitched. 

“You wear suits that are too big for you, oversized clothing doesn’t make you look bigger by the way, instead it makes you look smaller because it draws attention to the fact that the clothes are larger than your body.” Lois said. “And your shoes. When you lost one and I saw your socked feet compared to the shoe that was still on. It’s obvious you wear a shoe size larger than what your actual size is - no wonder you lost one when it slipped off. Honestly, are your shoes compensation because of what they say about men with big feet?” 

The last sentence was probably too mean. Lois wondered if Clark would start to cry. 

“You…” Clark laughed. “You really didn’t hold back. It’s really that bad?”

“Yes, the ties, the style and color of the outfits you pick - you dress like a grandpa.”

“Grandpa implies I pass.” Clark said, sticking out his tongue. 

“Nope. Sticking out your tongue, really? You’re a toddler actually. You’re a toddler in grown-up clothes.” Lois said. An apt comparison because Clark wore clothes too big for him. 

“You - ” Clark laughed again. 

“Oversized suit and oversized shoes. You know what wears oversized clothing and shoes?”

“What?”

“Clowns.”

Clark snorted. “Shit. I really got to change up my closet, huh? I stayed inside for so long but my fashion’s still so bad.” 

Lois smiled because she feared that she had gone too far, instead Clark was humored.

“It’s not so much dress as mannerism, Smallville.” Lois said. “A little confidence will go a long way. Chin up a bit. Out and proud, right? Honestly, you deserve to have confidence more than the some of the overconfident, arrogant princes strutting around Metropolis.” 

“Princes?”

“Superman and Lex Luthor.” Lois said. “They act like they own the place.”

“One of them kind of does - ”

“- having their stupid Alpha Male pissing contests at the expense of taxpayers.”

“But they’re more responsible these days, right? Picking abandoned buildings that are about to be torn down anyway.”

Lois groaned, realizing it was likely and imagining that it was very much possible for Superman to interrupt if she went on dates with Lex. Why did Lex want to start a relationship with her anyway? Wasn’t he already kind of in one? And what would Superman think of her? Lois knew he had saved her life, likely more times than she had been aware of, but years before he had appeared, Lex had saved her first. 

She tried to think of something else. Tomorrow. Dress. Shopping. 

“Clark, we can get started on fixing your fashion sense tomorrow. There’s a small boutique I know run by trans folks, specialized in clothing already for us and alterations to make regular clothing so.” Lois said. “Want to join me Saturday afternoon? I need to buy a dress and while we’re there you can find a good suit - if you wouldn’t mind spending money, that is.” Lois said, remembering Clark’s weirdness about not spending money on shoes but a cab. 

“Sure. It’s a date then?” Clark grinned. “Me, a poor butch, being dragged along on a femme’s shopping trip?”

“Oh shut up.” Lois said, not meaning it at all and laughing lightly. “It’s not. And I need a dress because I’m about to go on a first date with someone.”

“Oh.” Clark said. 

Lois said she was the one treating and should have covered the entire amount, bill and tip included, but she let Clark cover with a generous tip because he had asked.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning: mentions of past bullying (abortion rumors)

Clark reclined in his apartment bed after he had completed a spate of rescues as Superman. He had time to think now. 

He had wondered why Lex and Lois were on a first name basis and now he knew. They were friends or tense acquaintances, like how he related to Lex because while he had written the harsh article it was already harsh before he applied his effort to make it even more critical. 

The tale that Lois had relayed to him, about her father sending her off to an isolated mountain village after he had discovered her trans status, Lex had told him, years ago in Smallville. At that time Clark did not know the girl being spoken of was Lois because Lex had left out names. 

It had been a part of Lex explaining that he understood Clark’s need to remain closeted for his own safety and fear of being locked up or put away somewhere if he were outed as transgender. 

“I was suspicious.” Lex had said about how he had heard a friend of his who he knew was trans, was being sent to a remote part of Scotland. 

Clark knew that even then, that Lex had a suspicious nature. And Clark hadn’t been sure if distracting Lex with him being trans would be enough. 

A suspicious Lex had investigated his friend’s disappearance and ended up rescuing her before she was pushed into a marriage. 

Clark had asked Lex if he liked her because he had gone through that trouble, and because Clark sensed that Lex had an obsession because he himself was one that Lex held. 

Lex had answered that real life wasn’t a fairy tale and that the knight didn’t get to keep the princess in the tower. Though Clark could still try with Lana. 

“Clark,” Lex had asked, “Am I obligated to like you because you saved me from drowning?”

And Clark had answered, “No, of course not. You like who you want to like.”

“Exactly.” Lex had said. “I liked her but she didn’t like me in the same way. The rescue was done and we went our separate ways. At that time I wasn’t on good terms with her anyway though we had been friends. I have a bad track record with keeping up friendships, Clark.” Lex had warned him. 

That turned out to be true but while they were on good terms, Lex helped and offered help to Clark. 

Lex had said he knew the Kents are good people and wouldn’t send Clark away to be “fixed” if he did tell them he was trans. That was true, Clark had revealed himself to his parents at around the same time as Lex. But to be out to people beyond that was harder, because violence from his peers was a fear. The case in point being the cheerleaders, while not aware of the specifics, thought Clark was a boxer wearing freak.

Stripping him and tying him up in a cornfield hadn’t been the end of them bullying him. Later, the cheerleaders had spread rumors. _Claire Kent has had an abortion and she's trying to get a second one._

That had resulted in a hellish week because his parents had caught wind of the rumors. Clark had said he’s never had sex yet so there was no way he already had an abortion let alone getting a second one. He had been subjected to an awkward talk about the birds and the bees and his parents trying to discuss if he was even biologically compatible with humans. 

Then Lex had heard the rumors and why wouldn’t he have since his name was had been the one most frequently passed around as the father? 

Lex had invited Clark over to the mansion where he had proceeded to say that he’d give Clark support, emotional and financial. Whatever would be the least traumatic to Clark, Lex would help him with whether it was money for an abortion, (a safe one, best doctor possible, no back alley shit), or for raising a child, if Clark decided to keep it, or arrangements to place the child in a good home. Lex saying that he knew all the paths were quite traumatic and that having a baby will be bad for Clark’s body image issues and his future because of the stigma of teenage parenthood. If Clark wanted the other parent in his life, Lex had even said he could give them hell if they weren’t cooperative. 

Clark, who had already been stressed had snapped. 

“You actually think the rumors can be true at all?” Clark had shouted. 

“You’ve always surprised me. I wouldn’t dismiss rumors outright.” 

“I don’t need an abortion and I’ve never had one, it’s not possible because I’m a virgin!”

“Be careful when you do have your first time. Use protection to avoid pregnancy but if it fails and you run into trouble - ”

“Shut up! If I did chose to have sex I wouldn’t use…that place…I’d want to have the sex men have with each other - there would be no pregnancy!” 

Lex had gone quiet and Clark had said daringly, because he wanted Lex to be uncomfortable and embarrassed like he was, that he was having his period right now so there was no way he was pregnant and if Lex wanted to he could look at Clark’s boxers because wasn’t Lex always looking for proof of things? 

Clark was also angry because the casualness of how Lex spoke of his ability to secure an abortion made him wonder how many people Lex had seduced and impregnated, but convinced to remove the consequence of his actions? 

Then, Clark had gone further, because having his period only meant that he was not currently pregnant but what about his virginity? Clark had said if Lex personally fucked him then he could feel that Clark was, and at the same time if Lex did it, it also meant Clark wouldn’t be one and Lex would certainty have an answer. Then wouldn’t part of the rumor - that he was sleeping with Lex, be true? Or all of it, if Lex did get him pregnant. 

Clark had waited for Lex to throw him out of his house. Instead, Lex began to talk about another side-affect of the meteor shower strike that had resulted in him losing his hair was infertility and that he could not get anyone pregnant. It was impossible, and he asked if it made him less of a man in Clark’s eyes. 

Because Lex had revealed a vulnerability, Clark had calmed down and said it didn’t make him less of a man and that Martha wasn’t less of a woman because she couldn’t conceive and society should fuck off about being obsessed with people’s genitals and reproductive capabilities and attaching that to their gender. 

“Lex, if you aren’t a man because you can’t get anyone pregnant, then where does that leave me on being a man?” Clark had scoffed. He knew he compared himself to Lex too much as a model for what men were but Lex did sooth some of Clark’s anxieties. Clark had fretted over his lack of facial hair and the sparse hair on his arms until he saw most of Lex’s bare body in the perfectly innocent context of the man swimming in a pair of trunks. Lex didn’t have body hair at all and he went about with a confidence, comfortable in his body and gender, wearing light colored shirts (lavender), thought to be unmanly. 

Clark’s belligerence had defused and he had said Lex would be a good father if given the chance. Lex had returned the compliment, amending that it would be better for Clark to be a father later in life. Lex reiterated that Clark could always go to him for help and Clark had left the mansion after their talk, because staying longer only would have fueled the rumors further. 

In the end, the people that saved Clark from the rumors were his parents and Lana, whose stronger reputations and beloved by the town-ness saved his own. It was not something Lex, with his reputation, could have done and Clark had to avoid visiting the mansion for a awhile. 

Thinking about Lana reminded Clark of how his friendship with Lex had fractured. Clark sighed and decided he needed to stop tripping down memory lane and go to sleep because tomorrow he had to shop with Lois Lane. 

—

Lois was the one to pick Clark up at his apartment, since he did not have a car. 

She had gone right up the stairs and knocked at his door. The moment he opened it she placed her foot squarely over the threshold. “Hey, Smallville, did you eat lunch yet?” She asked. 

“Yeah.” Clark said, wondering why Lois' foot was inside his apartment when he thought he was just going to leave with her for the boutique. 

“Oh good, because I already ate and I’m not going to slow down for you.” Lois said. “Before I help you shop for new suits do you know what would really help? If I had a look at your closet.” 

Clark looked at Lois’ foot. Well, that made sense now. “Uh, sure. Come on in.” 

Lois beamed and walked inside as Clark stood out of the way and closed the door behind her. She also carried in a box with her. Clark was tempted to peek with his x-ray vision but he figured if she had brought it with her it was for him and he would find out soon anyway.

“Hmm.” Lois said. Pity Clark’s apartment was as boring as he was. Small, neat and tidy except for an empty pizza box and by it, a half-finished loaf of French bread. There was sturdy-looking old fashioned furniture, mass-produced nature paintings in the realistic style, one a forest, the other a waterfall.

But she still had to look at his room. Lois sauntered down the hallway, Clark following her like a reluctant shadow.

She proceeded to dump the box she had been carrying by the side of Clark’s bed and walked over to his closet. 

“Um, Lois, can I leave you alone in my apartment?” Clark asked. “I just remembered I promised a friend I’d help them fix a leaky sink and now’s a good time to visit them actually. It won’t take long.”

“Sure.” Lois said. “I’ll just be raiding your closet, okay?” 

Clark nodded though he suspected Lois would look through more than just his closet, unsupervised, the temptation was too great. 

He left.

—

The raid revealed flannels, more flannels, jeans. Binders. Ugly suits all unfortunate shades of gray or brown. Ties from the 70s. But in a back corner, a miracle occurred. 

Lois found Armani, it’s the color of dark red wine, fashionable, and from comparing it to the other suits and looking, it had to fit Clark perfectly.

There’s even a box with custom Italian leather shoes. 

Lois knew Clark didn’t pick out these things himself, someone must have for him because Clark’s crap fashion sense and budget wouldn’t have. 

“Clark, I am assuming the only passably fashionable things in your closet were given to you by Lex?” Lois asked, holding out the Armani and leather shoes. 

“Yes.” Clark sighed at being faced with this upon his return after an outing as Superman. “I refuse to wear them but I also can’t bear to throw such expensive things away, and it would be rude to ditch gifts.” 

“So you just let them gather dust in the back of your closet?”

“Yeah.”

“Throwing out gifts is rude.” Lois agreed. She stood up and walked over the the box she had dropped. “Speaking of gifts…”

She picked it up and offered it to Clark. 

He opened it to the sight of…combat boots. They looked similar to the kind Lois wore. Clark knew they had to be of high quality and suitable for different kinds of terrain. 

“I figured you need more footwear after you lost that oxford. That’s going to keep happening you know, unless you start wearing shoes that fit better.” Lois lectured. “Now these, would definitely fit you.” 

“How are you so sure?”

“Uh, I have eyes?” Lois said. 

Clark sat at the edge of his bed and put them on. The boots did, in fact, fit perfectly. He got to his feet and subconsciously stood taller, forgetting the usual act he put on so that no one would connect him to Superman. 

“You’re posture’s better already - I knew it would help with you confidence. It intimidates other people too, if that helps.” Lois smiled. But then her voice took on a more suspicious tone as she looked Clark over. “Those boots add on a couple of inches but I didn’t think the difference would be that great…” 

Clark sagged and turned Lois toward the door, and faced away from him. 

“Thank you for the boots, Lois.” He said. “Time’s aflowing though, so we should get to shopping for formal dress at the boutique you’re introducing me to. I trust your taste because the diner food was great.” 

“You’re welcome.” Lois said slowly, Clark’s grip on her shoulders was pretty firm.“I don’t want you being hindered on the field again because of footwear loss.” 

“Ahh.” Clark said understandingly. He released her and sat back down on his bed, untying his new combat boots.

“I’ll meet you downstairs, once I change into my sneakers.” Clark said. 

Lois nodded. “I’ll be in my car.” She said, thinking that Clark wasn't as simple as he looked.

—

“I want to look like a Victorian grandma.” Lois said seriously when she got to the small boutique. “No backless dresses. I want long sleeves and not a hint of shoulder.” 

“We’re here for me to find fashion and you to lose it?” Clark said, confused. 

“Here are the ground rules, Smallville. I’m here to comment on the outfits you pick out. You don’t get to comment on mine, got it?”

“Um, got it.”

“Good.”

While the proprietor went to locate dresses like the ones Lois had specified, she and Clark looked at the men’s formal-wear section. 

Lois banned Clark from picking anything brown or smog gray once it became evident he was gravitating toward those. And when Clark had mentioned he didn’t have the ability to pull off wearing a suit that was a deep and eye-catching blood red, Lois had pointed out a dark blue suit with a serious and stately vibe.

It turned out to be what Clark would settle for and Lois was pleased because Clark actually did look good in blue. It was discounted because of minor imperfections. The suit had a slight stain, but on the inside, and a small tear on the sleeve that could easily be self-repaired. Otherwise it was well-made and importantly, not several sizes larger than what Clark should be wearing. 

“Did your date piss you off even before the first date?” Clark asked once he had paid for his purchase and eyed Lois’s dress. It was Victorian alright. Victorian mourning. The dress was black, with fabric that would cover the entire neck when worn, and long puffed sleeves that revealed nothing. 

“Hmm.” Lois said, sounding like she was having second thoughts. 

She announced that she had changed her mind and wasn’t going to buy the dress after all. The owner of the shop gave Clark the evil eye until he placed a pair of dress shoes on the counter and said he was going to buy it as well. 

They leave the boutique with Clark being the only one that had made purchases.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warnings: some violence, injury, mentions of (past) fear of being outed/almost being discovered and outed against one's will

After Lois dropped Clark off at his apartment, she returned to her own. 

Last night, Lois had stayed over at Cat’s apartment, though originally she had only arrived to drop off some children’s dose cough medicine since Cat had asked her to purchase it for her. The sniffle Adam had before school had turned into a runny nose and coughing by the day’s end. 

Adam had been the rare studious boy who didn’t want to miss school and was pleased with himself for managing to put off being sick until the weekend. But he also liked video games and because Lois was a relatively regular fixture in his life that he could gauge her skills, had requested she stay to beat a level of a sidescroller he was having trouble with. She had successfully completed it and after she had given Adam tips on how to win the level himself he had agreed to go to sleep once he had taken his medicine. 

After Adam had fallen asleep, Lois had went with Cat’s plan to watch the Matrix movies. 

In the morning, Lois had woken up from the couch and kicked off the blanket Cat had likely put over her. She had left a note before driving to Clark’s place from Cat’s. Lois hadn’t checked her apartment until now. 

There a surprise was waiting for her. The foyer clerk handed her an ornate but lightweight box, and a letter. 

She already knew whom the stuff had to be from. 

Upon opening the letter, the fancy pastel pink and purple stationary was only further proof. 

A time and place she had already been informed of. And an instruction. 

_Wear the dress I sent you._

There wasn’t even a please. Lois fumed and opened the box the dress had to be inside, with less delicacy than would be recommended. 

Lois stared. Holding out the dress was like being able to hold spring, the beading and patterning on the top part of the cool green dress resembling interlacing vines and leaves. She touched the soft and silky dress to her face and wondered what it would be like to wear. If she decided to wear it. Ordering her what to wear? Lex’s high-handedness could only get worse from here on out. 

But the look of the dress reminded her of freshness, of new beginnings. She decided she could start off by doing what Lex wanted. She thought about the Armani in the back of Clark’s closet. It would be a shame to waste such a beautiful dress. 

—

To account for traffic, and the unlikely possibility she could catch Lex off guard if she arrived early, Lois stepped into her car an hour before she was due to see him. 

The choice would prove important, three-fourths of the way there, she spotted a red and blue blur in the sky and a gray blur that went after it. 

She drove after them and when she couldn’t follow any longer by car she changed out of her wine red heels, and into a pair of combat boots she kept in her car.

In a closed off road, Superman was wrestling with a pterodactyl.

Something about the look of its wings caught her eye. “It’s the one you punched days ago!” Lois exclaimed. 

“What?” Superman turned around, surprised to see her as he had been distracted and focused on fighting the pterodactyl. 

The pterodactyl took its chance to gore him with its beak. 

“Oh shit.” Lois couldn’t believe it. Superman was suppose to be invincible but the week wasn’t over and she had seen him bleed twice. It was the same dinosaurs though. 

Thinking quickly and hoping to make up for her mistake, Lois hurled a rock at the pterodactyl’s head. 

Her aim was true and it turned its attention on her. 

The moment it turned to Lois, Superman used a stunning blow to knock it out. 

“What’s that about not bullying dinosaurs?” He said.

Lois wasn’t amused. Superman was wounded - his stomach bled and he was holding his fingers to it. She ran up to him. 

“You need help.” Lois said. 

“I do, and I’ll get it.” Superman said, holding the dinosaur with one arm and looking like he was about to lift off. 

“Stop.” Lois said. 

There was no way she could make him stay if he wanted to go, but Superman did stop. 

“Okay.” She sighed, wondering if she was really going to do what she was thinking of doing. 

Yes. 

In all likelihood, the dress she was wearing easily cost more than her next two paychecks combined. But it was suitable - new and clean. Lois tore fabric off the bottom of the dress, a long strip. Then, she began to tie it tightly around Superman’s stomach wound to stop the bleeding. 

He cooperated but by the end his eyes are wide. “That was a very nice dress. Looks expen- 

“It still is a nice dress.” Lois sniffed. “And not as valuable as a life. Seriously, were you really going to fly off with an exposed wound and possibly get blood on some unfortunate Metropolis citizen who happened to be out?”

“I could have cauterized my own wound with my heat vision.” Superman insisted. 

“Self-cauterization isn’t easy.” Lois countered. 

He wondered if Lois knew from experience because it sounded it. 

But Lois glanced at her watch. “I got to go - sorry I distracted you and good bye, try not to bully and piss off any more dinosaurs!” 

Superman watched her run off, wondering how she had got in the last word. 

—

Lois ended up arriving half an hour late.

The set up is romantic and intimate. There’s a table with tall red candles, tapered glasses and a bottle of champagne. Seating for two. 

Lois noticed the bottle of pineapple juice. "Pineapple juice?" Lois asked. She loved pineapple juice. And Lex knew that. "What am I, still a kid?" Lois said, trying to provoke Lex on purpose. "If you're trying to woo me with the idea of stuff I liked ten years ago I got some news for you buddy - "

"I want to make new memories. I want to discover what the Lois of today likes." Lex said. 

The honesty she heard in the statements caught Lois off guard. She lost her words. 

“Thank you for showing up in the dress I sent you.” Lex said. 

“You’re welcome.” Lois said, observing that Lex was dressed in a suit of white brocade. 

“Knowing you, there was a possibility that you’d show up in another outfit…or not at all. So I’ll count you showing up in the dress with it already being damaged as a success.” 

Lois sat down, clenching her hands under the table. Erk. He was absolutely accurate. She had thought of those things. 

She’s glad he doesn’t ask for the specifics of why the new dress he had given her was already damaged. 

_Where’s the rest of your dress, Lois?_ Lois imagined him asking. 

She imagined her answer. _Hey, Lex we’re dating (Lois still had trouble wrapping her mind around that) and you gave me this very expensive and excellent dress but guess what I did with it? I used it to bind Superman’s injury. Superman, you know, the super strong alien you regularly fight with? But he was injured and bleeding all over the place and I had to do something because it was kind of my fault. There wasn’t anything else with me at the time, so, long story short, the missing fabric from the bottom of my dress is probably still wrapped around his shredded abs._

Sure, like that would go over well. 

“There’s lots of reasons I shouldn’t get involved with you.” Lois said once Lex was seated across from her. 

“That’s true.” Lex said. “And I can name them.” 

“Really?”

“I’m too high profile. Also, I'm hypercompetitive. I don’t play fair. I lie.” Lex said. “Those are things you already know about me.”

“Yes.” Lois said, putting on a cloth napkin. She did know. 

Lois thought about how their friendship had started. Lionel had made Lex compete with her on the obstacle course she had trained on since she could walk. Lex was older but she had more practice and no asthma. Lois always won, and it was worse when both their respective fathers were watching. In other words their interactions were more like a rivalry with there being no friendship to speak of. That is, until Lex approached her, with cash, asking for her to throw a match. She had laughed in his face and the small ginger had started physically fighting her but Lois won easily, because again, training. If Lex wanted to win, Lois had said, then she could give him tips and help him practice on the obstacle course so if he was going to win it would be through his own ability. Lex was suspicious and his pride wounded but she had managed to get him to accept her help. He had continued to lose but the losses became less overwhelming. 

But of course Lex doesn’t play fair and in the end he had disappointed her. One day, when Lex returned to visit, she saw that he no longer had any hair. She didn’t know Lex had lost his asthma along with his hair until Lex reached the end of the obstacle course before her for the first time when he had dropped his inhaler on the course and went forward, where he proceeded to fake suffering an asthma attack. Lois had went backward to grab his inhaler and Lex had gone forward to the finish line.

See, now that was why she had trust issues regarding Lex. 

But Lois also thought back to why she had outed herself to him back then. She hadn’t been careful and Lex, with her father and his own, had walked in and seen her in a dress and wig. 

She had been too surprised, and paralyzed with fear. They were all looking at her and the thick silence could have been broken at any moment. 

Lionel was about to speak but Lex had spoken first, blocking out his father’s voice. 

“Louis, I didn’t think you’d really do it.” Lex had said. “You even put on lipstick.” Lex had laughed and walked forward, slipping a hundred into her hand. “Now it’s your turn to dare me to do something - and be more creative, I already told you to steal Pamela’s panties and you succeeded so don’t tell me to do something similar.” 

Lois had trembled, she almost cried. It hurt because Lex was laughing at her like she feared he would if she had told him. But she realized that what he had done was throw her a lifeline. 

She had worn a wig because she hated the buzzcut she was required to have. She had worn a dress because she wanted to. She was a girl. But that would have been unacceptable. 

But wearing a dress, a wig, was acceptable if it was a prank, a dare - one boy out to humiliate another. She wasn’t a boy. Her father hadn't known that yet. 

Lex had lied. And in doing so saved her. He had even pinned on the clearly heterosexual activity of saying that Lois had stolen a girl’s panties. 

So after that close call Lois had told Lex that she was trans. Then he broke her heart shortly afterward, publicly breaking their friendship once LuthorCorp’s interests in military contacts had been fulfilled. 

The expression “once bitten, twice shy” fit her situation. 

“I’m still going to give you another chance. Don’t fuck up.” Lois said.

Lex looked surprised, but he went quiet when Lois dipped her head and began to dig into the seafood dishes on the table. Shrimp, oysters, lobster, calamari, crab, salmon. 

She still loved seafood. 

They ate in silence. Lois didn’t feel like talking and perhaps Lex didn’t want to speak for fear he’d fuck up too fast. He poured champagne for her. She drank straight out of the pineapple juice bottle. 

She’s fishing the meat out of a lobster claw when Lex’s phone went off. 

Rude. She had turned off her phone before entering his penthouse. But if it was ringing she supposed it had to be important, probably company related. 

She made a take-the-call gesture. 

Lex mouthed a “sorry” and stood up, leaving to another room. 

Lois considered eavesdropping but nah, the food was so good and needed her attention more. 

The call doesn’t take long and Lex returned to the table shortly but his expression was serious. “I have a emergency to take care of.” He said. “It requires leaving - ”

“Don’t stay behind on my account. Just go take care of what needs to be done.” Lois said. She recognized the flavor of everything as wild-caught instead of farm sourced. It was great seafood. 

Lex left, his posture immensely guilty.


	8. Chapter 8

“I found the missing dinosaur.” Clark said. 

Lex could feel the beginnings of a headache forming. Clark was in costume, covered by a blanket, and seated on a couch in Lex’s lab, with said dinosaur - a pterodactyl, on the seat next to him. Granted it was a large couch, but the creature’s feet had torn out some of the stuffing. 

It was calm - had Clark tamed it?

“Did you tame it?” Lex asked aloud. 

“Yes, I think I earned Mars’ respect after fighting it.” Clark said. 

“Mars?”

“The god of war, because it fought me and its wings have a red hue.”

God he had named the dinosaur. There was no going back. “Keep it. It’s not LexCorp’s.” Lex said. “Take it back with you to the Fortress.” He pressed a button and revealed a pool of fish that Mars happily rose to dive at. 

Clark smiled. “I can carry Mars, but I’ll need something special to transport it through the cold.”

“I’ll provide it.” Lex said. 

“Um, I can’t exactly make the trip right now.” Clark said. “When I fought Mars, Mars kind of - ”

“Injured you.” Lex said suspiciously, gazing at the blanket Clark had draped over himself. 

“Yup.”

“Let me have a look.” Lex sighed. “And before moving Mars over let me figure out how to neutralize its ability to harm you.” 

“Okay.”

—

Clark knew Lex’s patience had already been running thin because he had crashed his lab but he knew it had all but disappeared by the time he revealed the injury for Lex to tend to. 

Lex had peeled away the top of his suit and wouldn’t stop staring. 

“You’ve already seen everything before.” Clark grumbled. He didn’t get the intensity of Lex’s gaze. It was more at the lower half of his chest and not the top but it still surprised Clark. Also, Lex’s bed side manner had seriously regressed between when he had treated Clark on the original day the dinosaurs had been loosed and today because he was taking care of Clark but doing it aggressively for some reason Clark couldn’t fathom. 

Lex commented that the wound had been bound well before he practically ripped it off.

Clark nodded. “Ow.” He complained a moment later - his wound didn’t bleed, surely there was no reason to apply gauze that tightly? 

Clark immediately put on a shirt once Lex was done. It was one of Lex's.

“That article you wrote on LexCorp early in the week.” Lex said. “I only found out you were involved after a correction was issued. Interesting, that.” 

“That.” Clark said, thinking he understood now why Lex was behaving the way he was. “I was trying to get you think about things you were doing. Help you think in right direction.” 

“You could have said it to my face.” 

“I actually didn’t think about those things as much until Lois put it into perspective, then it was easy to piggyback I guess. Following her train of thought and logic. It was easy to focus.” 

Lex went strangely quiet. 

“Did I interrupt an important thing you had?” Clark asked because he noticed that Lex was in a white brocade suit. He also had on a clear plastic raincoat, to avoid getting blood on said suit. 

“Yes.” Lex said. 

Clark opened his mouth, ready with a series of apologizes.

“Don’t worry. We’re about done and I’ll be getting back to that.” 

“Is there something you want, Lex?”

“Something I want?”

“For helping me. After you helped me against the T-Rex, I agreed to not go charging through your company’s properties until I gave you time to sort things out …now I got hurt again and you’re taking care of me so um, I guess you can pick an item that I have in my Fortress to take back.” 

Lex looked thoughtful. 

“Some things are still off limits.” Clark amended. “Particle accelerator okay. Anti-matter cannon no.”

Lex scoffed. He walked over and picked up the discarded, blood-covered green fabric. “I want this.” Lex said. 

“You want that?” Clark said curiously. “You want a used, dirty piece of cloth?”

“I want it for an experiment.” Lex said. 

“Oh…okay.”

“I have something to get back to.” Lex said. “Until next time.” He dropped a spare costume near Clark. 

“Until next time.” Clark agreed, watching Lex’s retreating back. 

—

“I’m not upset.” Lois said. She was. “I’ll consider us even since I was half an hour late.” She was already done eating. 

“How did your dress get torn?”

“So what did you take care of?”

Lois blinked. She had asked her question at the same time Lex had asked his. 

“You answer me first.” Lois said. 

Lex smiled. It wasn’t friendly. “One day I will stop always yielding to you.” He said. 

Lois was going to protest. What yielding? Lex was actually stubborn and tended to hold grudges for a long time. But then she would miss the explanation. 

“Business.” Lex said vaguely. 

Because there was no way Lois would be satisfied with that, he continued. 

“I had to see someone who was worried about the directions of my company.” 

“It didn’t go well, did it? You’re in a shitty mood.” Lois said, rising from her seat. She stood behind Lex and placed her hands on his shoulders.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m massaging your back, you’re very tense. You know that?”

Lex reclined his head on purpose, until it rested against her soft chest. 

Lois’s fingers twitched but she didn’t stop until some of the tension had unknotted. 

“When was the last time you cried, Lex?” Lois asked. 

Lex wanted to call her out. How dare you ask me another question when I’ve answered yours but you haven’t answered mine? 

“I don’t remember.”

“Did you cry when Lionel passed away?”

A third question. “No.”

“He trained you too well.” Lois said, and Lex found himself being dragged out of chair and toward the direction of his room. Lex let himself be led. 

In his room, he eyed the vast, comfortable bed but Lois pulled him into the large closet and closed the door behind her. 

Inside, in the dark Lex gave what could barely pass for a smile. He still remembered how this game went. 

Boys don’t cry. Luthor men didn’t cry. That was what Lionel had told him. And a general’s son wasn’t suppose to cry. They held back, in front of Lionel and Sam. The game started before Lois had told him she was a girl. It was her idea. 

The game went like this. Go hide in a dark closet. Pretend to be in a situation where it was acceptable to cry. 

Cry like you’ve been shot. Cry like your brother-in-arms just died. 

Lines Lex had said in the past were: “Shit, Louis. I’ve been shot. The communists got me. Fuck. Tell my mom I love her.” The longest time he had stayed in a closet with Lois was when Lilian had passed away. 

“You don’t have to say anything. Or pretend.” Lois said in the dark. “Just cry if you want to, know that you can, you're allowed to.” 

Lex does. He doesn’t make a sound but he does cry. He could hear Lois. Many minutes passed, then he felt Lois’ hands displace the air near his head. Her hands settled on his cheeks and she traced the wet, liquid tracks of his tears. 

“Face smooth as a newborn baby butt.” Lois muttered.

In the small space of the closet Lex had no problem hearing her. “Jealous?” He asked.

“Yes, actually. Because I have to shave religiously.”

Lex reached out too and his fingers came away wet. 

“What did you cry about?” Lex asked. 

“The Sharks.”

“But they’re doing well.” Lex said, confused about why Lois was crying about Metropolis’ football team when they were having a stellar season. 

“They’re doing so well that I’m really happy for them.” Lois said. “So I cried. Tears of joy are a thing.” She said defensively. “I’m glad we don’t have to do the sand part.” 

The closet game had been Lois’ idea but the sand part had been his.

Crying meant red eyes. Red eyes meant proof of crying. 

To explain having red eyes, after they had played the closet game for the first time, Lex had told Lois to push him into the sand in the obstacle course.

She had obliged by shoving him into the sand headfirst. 

“Okay, I’m going to push you in now.” Lex had said, and then in revenge had pushed Lois in with more force that was necessary. Play fighting had turned into actual rough housing in the sand. Lionel and Sam had not at all suspected that they had been crying. 

“I have sand available actually. If you wanted…” Lex said, his voice steady. 

Lois punched him in the shoulder and threw open the closet doors. 

Lex wiped his face with a sleeve. It was one thing in the dark, but the light?

“Do you feel freer, and more relaxed now, Lex?” Lois asked, stepping out. “More like a human being?” Her eyes are still shiny. 

Lex stepped out, nodding. 

“Thank you for this evening.” Lois said. “It’s late so I should be getting back.”

Lex lead her to the door but he doesn’t open it yet. He paused and faced her before leaning in and planting kiss on her cheek. “Have a good night.” He said, stepping back. 

“You too.” Lois replied before she leaned close and kissed his lips.

She had intended it to be brief but Lex returned it hard, kissing her like he had been meaning to for years. Lois grabbed his brocade vest though Lex already had her steadied against the door. When he pulled away she was breathless. 

He opened the door so she could leave. 

“If you want a new dress that hasn’t been torn or don’t like the one I gave you, I could get you another one.” Lex said. 

Lois fingers curled over her lips. “Sure.” She said. She closed the door. 

—

When Lois reached her car she found Mercy in the driver’s seat. 

“Hello, Miss Lane. I’m going to drive you back to your apartment.” Mercy said. “Though I wish I didn’t have to, if you stayed the ni - ”

“Mercy,” Lois interrupted, not wanting to hear the rest of that sentence. “I’m not so drunk I need you to drive, I could get a cab.” 

“The helicopter.” Mercy said. 

“What?”

“You sat in my driver's seat.” Mercy said. “So I’m going to drive your car and we’ll be even.”

Lois decided fighting Mercy’s logic would take too much effort. She got into the passenger’s seat and strapped in her seatbeat. 

Mercy smiled approvingly. 

—

Lex sat in bed; a desk lamp the only thing illuminating his room. 

He examined a length of green fabric that was more brown now, from dried blood. 

He held it to his lips and closed his eyes but he doesn't sleep, not for a long time.


End file.
